The United States Federal Trade Commission is an independent federal agency established in 1914 by the Federal Trade Commission Act. The agency is charged with protecting consumers from misleading, fraudulent or... more +

The United States Federal Trade Commission is an independent federal agency established in 1914 by the Federal Trade Commission Act. The agency is charged with protecting consumers from misleading, fraudulent or deceptive marketing claims, as well as regulating unfair business practices that undermine the competitive marketplace. less -

Paying for Consumer Reviews Gets Company FTC Action -
Accused of failing to disclose that it gave cash discounts to customers to post online reviews, AmeriFreight and owner Marius Lehmann agreed to a settlement with...more

The FTC steps up enforcement of misleading software and mobile app promotional claims as FDA deregulates low-risk health IT devices.
In recent weeks, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has taken several enforcement...more

In an opinion addressing the amount and type of scientific evidence required to substantiate disease treatment and prevention claims, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia upheld the Federal Trade...more

New DAA App Brings Choice to Mobile -
Bringing consumer choice to mobile applications, the Digital Advertising Alliance released “AppChoices,” a free app that will allow consumers to opt out of tracking on mobile...more

On January 30, 2015, the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia issued an opinion in a case regarding the Federal Trade Commission’s (FTC) challenge to the advertisements of POM Wonderful’s (“POM”)...more

In the latest iteration of the Federal Trade Commission’s (FTC) approach to testimonials and endorsements in the context of online advertising, the Commission alleged that AmeriFreight, a company that arranges the shipment of...more

While hardly ever enforced in modern times by government enforcement agencies, and rarely the subject of antitrust treble damage actions, Sections 2(d) and (e) of the Robinson Patman Act (15 U.S.C. §§ 13(d) and (e)) have had...more

FCC Chair Announces New Net Neutrality Regs -
The battle over net neutrality took a new turn when Federal Communications Commission Chairman Tom Wheeler announced his intention to reclassify broadband service as a...more

The District of Columbia Circuit Court of Appeals handed the Federal Trade Commission a critical win on January 30, 2015 by affirming the Commission’s January 2013 decision holding POM Wonderful LLC in violation of the FTC...more

Late last week, on February 12, the CFPB announced actions against three mortgage companies for alleged violations of Regulation N, the Mortgage Acts and Practices Advertising Rule. Among other restrictions, Regulation N bars...more

Why it matters -
In the agency’s first action against a title lender, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) recently reached a deal with a pair of car title lenders accused of deceptive advertising. The Commission alleged...more

On February 11, 2015 the Federal Trade Commission announced that it had accepted a $9.5 million settlement in a case brought against a sweepstakes operator for violating a previous FTC order. The settlement also permanently...more

Podium P-O-V: Observations From Marc Roth on ERA’s Great Ideas Summit -
I recently had the pleasure of participating on an “Advocacy Update” panel at the Electronic Retailing Association’s Great Ideas Summit in Miami...more

On January 30, 2015, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit issued its long-awaited opinion in the POM case. In a press release, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC or the Commission) Chairwoman Edith...more

FTC Consumer Protection Head Addresses Do’s, Don’ts for Privacy -
Calling the current advertising climate “a technological revolution at the intersection of marketing and consumer data,” Director of the Federal Trade...more

For the dog lovers of the world, this one is for you. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) recently sent "warning letters" to 20 manufacturers and marketers of dog waste bags that dog owners, walkers, and conscientious others...more

The Federal Trade Commission recently announced that it has entered into proposed settlements with two auto title lenders that were charged with deceptive advertising in violation of Section 5 of the FTC Act and the Truth in...more

On January 30, a three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit upheld claims of false advertising by POM Wonderful LLC (“POM Wonderful”), finding that the government could prohibit the...more

On Jan. 30, 2015, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit affirmed the FTC’s ruling that POM Wonderful made false and misleading advertising claims that its pomegranate juice products were effective in fighting various...more

The Federal Trade Commission Act prohibits advertising that is untruthful, deceptive, or unfair, and it requires advertisers to have evidence to back up their claims. There are also other
federal laws applicable to...more

President Obama Focuses on Cybersecurity, Privacy, Data Breach Notification -
Data security and privacy concerns received special attention in President Obama’s State of the Union address where the President advocated...more

Twenty years ago, the social media world we now live in was the stuff of science fiction. Today, social media is a critical business tool creating unprecedented opportunities for direct consumer interaction, brand awareness,...more

L’Oreal’s Deceptive Advertising -
The Federal Trade Commission (“FTC”) accused L’Oréal of making deceptive advertising claims regarding the benefits of two of its product lines. L’Oréal claimed that its Génifique...more